Manhood and War

There has been one distinct place where men could show they were men. A honored place where masculinity could be demonstrated to its fullest. It was a sacred place that could bestow status and admiration. Society loved this type of manly man and counted on their courageousness. The manhood of these men were never questioned. Where was this place to demonstrate manhood? The military. Who were the men countrymen looked up to? Soldiers.

For centuries men used their strong bodies and courage to protect their country. Citizens, without prompting, admired military men. Their uniforms were decorated with medals of honor for valour and proclaimed their rank amonst other men. Put a man in a uniform, and it changes him and the people who see him in the uniform.

But there was always a price to pay. War changed the soldiers and war changed societies. Men who went off to war, willing to sacrifice their life, never guessed there were many losers even if they were victorious.

World War 2 began September 1, 1939 -September 2, 1945, it was the most violent military conflict in human history. There were 38 million military and civilian deaths. The United States entered the war in 1941. The U.S lost 407, 317 men in the war. 62, 614 Navy. 21, 511 Marine. 318, 274 Army and Air Force. 1,917 Coast Gaurd.

While the men were off at war on foreign soil, women had to enter the work force to keep America functioning economically. Before World War 2, men were the breadwinner and women were wives and mothers. Of course there were women who held jobs, but that was not the status quo. Women had no other option than to work to support themselves and family during this war. The positions women held were facory workers making parts for military equipment. Drivers of trains, fire engines, and trucks moving necessary supplies in the states. Nurses and ENGINEERS. America had to function in all capacities while men were at war. During this time, women were not entering the military fighting for their country.

Society changed not due to women wanting to work. The norm was for a man to be the provider and protector of women and children. With 407,316 deaths of men, many wives were left without a returning husband. Children were left without a returning father. And the availability of men for women to marry had been limited by so many deaths of marriage aged men. After the men who survived the war returned, most women were still unable to return to their housewife role because many men returned disabled. Women had to continue to provide for themselves and their children. Young women faced not being able to find a man to marry. The nuclear family took a hit with World War 2. The landscape of who held jobs changed. 

The Vietnam War began November 1, 1955 - April 30, 1975 (a 20 year war!) The United States entered the Vietnam War March 8, 1965 (10 years). There were 58,220 male deaths. 38,179 Army, 14,836 marines, 2556 Navy, and 2,580 Airforce. The total of men America lost was significatly lower in this war than in World War 2. But, this war was tragic on a different level. 

There were 75,000 severly disabled men who returned from this war. 23,214 were 100% disabled. 5,283 lost limbs and 1,081 had multiple amputations. This war, women wanted to show their patriotism and serve their country in war. There were 8 service women who died during this war by accidents or illness but not from battle. Women served in the military as nurses, air traffic controllers, intelligence officers, communication specialists, physicians, secretaries, and clerks. Notice the skill level and trianing that women were now serving their country.

Before World War 2, women did not involve themselves in politics. That was a man's domain and they were happy to leave it as such. Women were thought of as frail, delicate, and not capable of intellect and should not vote because their minds could not handle the complexities of analytical or intellectual thought. Women did not challenge this train of thought for centuries. After competently holding positions allocated for men, they became aware of their capabilities. Of course there were women who longed for the days when she did not have to work, but there were many who enjoyed their ability to take care of themselves financially and to be able to work outside of the home.

By the time the Vietnam War occurred, women were competent in many job areas. Marriage and children were no longer the only option for women. They had learned they were able to learn and advance in society with or without a husband. They felt patriotic just like their male counterpart and entered the military in large numbers demonstrating their capabilities in the positions held in the military and at home while men were once again off fighting on foreign soil.

The Vietnam War was the first war where the soldier did not return home, if he survived, to a hero's welcome. This war had opposition from students, government officials, labor unions, church groups, middle class families, and the famous Dr. Martin Luther King who said Black people were fighting for another country's freedoms while not be able to have those same freedoms in America.

Mothers, wives, sisters, and girlfriends, no longer wanted to stand at train stations or piers dutifully waving their loved ones off to war knowing they may never return. Women began to call for "NO MORE WAR." 61% of the men who died were younger than 21. The average age of the soldier who died in this war was 23 years old. 17,539 of the men who went off to war were married. Once again, the nuclear family took a large hit and the marriage pool also declined again. If the fathers, sons, boyfriends returned, they could have returned disabled, unable to work. Soldiers also returned addicted to heoin given to get them back on the battlefield after injury or while recuperating in the hospital. 104,578 men returned with disabilities.

For the first time, soldiers returned to citizens who viewed them as murderes, war mongerers, stupid for even fighting in the war, addicts, and their muscular body once admired and revered was now disfigured and considered unsightly and weak. It was no longer a source of pride to be seen in military uniform. The uniform had become a source of ridicule, shame, and disdain. Bitterness all around filled the post Vietnam War atmosphere in America.

Once again, women filled vacant positions in the job force and sought out education and training to advance and enter job position which men normally held. Once again they proved their competence as a provider and now patriot.

The Afghanistan War began October 2001 - August 2011. The totals vary, but I decided to use the highest total of 7,078 deaths of servicemen/women. Once again this seems like a low total compared to the other wars. The advancement of technology made hand to hand combat outdated, equaling fewer deaths. But, there is always a price to pay for war.

Since the beginning of this war in 2001, over 1.9 million people deployed at various times. 1.9-3 million servicemen/women served post 9/11 in various positions in and out of country. 89% were men and 11% were women. But there were 30,177 suicides of service members and vets post 9/11 war. 40% of the soldiers who served have PTSD with Marines having the highest rate. 40% also have some form of disability. The major areas of disability are mental health issues, orthopedic injuries, heart disease, amputations, and Gulf War Syndrome (fatigue, fibromyalgia, and gastrointestinal disorders).

If history repeats itself, then the collateral affects of war are the same as with the previous wars. The nuclear family disrupted, marriage availability decline, inability of the soldier to return to work, soldier not revered any longer, and women continuing to excert their independence in the work arena. 

I served in the First Gulf War and returned to streets lined with people thanking us for our service. Also, to this day, corporations can be heard thanking their customers who served their country. Lowe's and Home Depot give militay discounts for those who served (notice they are building supply companies. Women's clothing stores do not give women vets discounts). Now it is okay if citizens praise or disdain people who serve their country. The soldier is no longer the representation of manhood. Many blame the entrance of woman into the male dominated field for emasculating the military. But war takes away men, the provider and protector of family. You can't have men dying and disabled from war without there being consequences.

From 1973-2010 the number of women in uniform went from 42,000 to 167,000. With women able to and wanting to serve their country, the military had to change. Once women entered into the public arena, they wanted the same pay a man would receive for the same work and they wanted to work knowing they would not be bullied or harrassed for working outside the home. So, Women's Rights were an outcome of war.

Feminism, for many is a dirty word. Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that societies prioritize the male point of view and that women are treated unjustly in these societies. It's aim is not to get rid of men or make them lesser. But with everything, there are radicals.

The 1st wave of Feminism was in 1848 when women wanted the right to vote. The 2nd wave of Feminism was 1960-1970's when women wanted equality and freedom from discrimination. The 3rd wave of Feminism was in the 1990's which many say was ushered in by Anita Hill during the televised case where she accused Judge Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. This wave of Feminism is traced to Generation Z wanting diversity and individualism. The 4th wave of Feminism began around 2010 and it centered around empowerment of the LGBTQ+ Rights. There is a questioning whether we have entered into a 5th wave of Feminism as of 2014 which is Political Activism. This wave fights against sexual abuse and misogyny which is blatantly visable on the internet. Women are using their power at the ballot box in concentrated efforts.

In th last ten years, it seems women are being blamed for the many changes American society is undergoing. I write a great deal about this topic and in my humble opinion, women are not the root cause of these changes, especially the changes men are feeling in regards to manhood. Women have entered domains once solely for men and are no longer finding marriage the only answer to their survival. Those are BIG changes. But many of the changes were WAR driven with women having very little say in the matter until they DEMANDED to have a say in the matter.

Manhood was once largely DEMONSTRATED by the soldier who bravely protected family and country until that was no longer a THING to do to show manhood. But manhood is not determined by a job position, such as soldier, anymore and hasn't been for DECADES. If all of the women left the military it would not revert back to a place and time of reverence for manhood again because people know the COST of war. If we were to go back to hand to hand combat then masculinty would reign supreme again. But no one wants the blood-bath of hand to hand combat. Americans now want avoidance of war at all costs and the DIPLOMATIC mind and INTELLECTUAL skills to accomplish it is what is now held in high regard. Providing and protecting the safety of the country is wanted BEFORE war is even on the table. Education, not physical fitness, negotiation not battles, and communication, not combat became desired. The loss and maiming of life has become too costly for citizens. 

People believe women changed the military by entering the military. Men feel as though they lost something or something was taken away from them after women were allowed to join the military. Wives, children, and single women have always lost when men went off to war. For many men who served in the military during wars, they returned feeling less of a man after having life-altering injuries.

Manhood and war no longer go hand in hand, and does anyone really want it to be what DEFINES a man?